CLEAN SWEEP: LIB DEMS ROMP HOME IN CORSTORPHINE MURRAYFIELD BY-ELECTION
The Liberal Democrats have won the Corstorphine Murrayfield by-election. The rampant Lib Dems won at Stage One of the voting process 0 amassing more votes than all the other candidates combined – and they now hold all three seats in the ward.
Fiona Bennett’s emphatic victory reinforces the Lib Dem team at the City Chambers to 13 councillors, five behind the biggest party the SNP.
Edinburgh’s ‘ruling’ Labour group has just 12 councillors and last month was forced to adopt the Lib Dem budget plans to cling on to power.
Labour finished fourth in first preference votes in the by-election, which was brought about by the resignation of former SNP Lord Provost Frank Ross.
The declaration was made early this morning (Friday, 10 March) by Returning Officer for Edinburgh, city council chief exec Andrew Kerr.
Returning Officer, Andrew Kerr, said: “Thanks to everyone who took part in the by-election helping to elect a new councillor to represent their views on matters affecting the ward and the entire city.
“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Fiona Bennett as a new councillor and I look forward to working with her.
“I also want to thank our elections team who have worked hard over recent months to make sure this by-election ran so smoothly.”
The turnout for the by-election was a fair 42.3%.
Jubilant Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton remarked on Twitter: “Get in! So delighted for Cllr Fiona Bennett and the team she built and inspired around her.
“Important observations-
Lib Dems now second biggest party in Edinburgh
SNP down by almost 1/3rd
“This is the biggest council by-election win in our party’s history.”
Corstorphine Murrayfield by-election, first preferences:
LD: 4577 (56%, +6.2)
SNP: 1086 (13.3%, -5.4)
Con: 788 (9.6%, -6.3)
Lab: 568 (7%, -0.9)
Grn: 417 (5.1%, -1.8)
Elaine Miller (Ind): 327 (4%, new)
Pete Gregson (Ind): 295 (3.6%, new)
Scottish Family Family, Pro Life: 90 (1.1%, +0.3)
Libertarian Party: 20 (0.2%, new)